1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to playing figures for use in table soccer or fussball game structures and, more particularly, to an improved playing figure construction.
2. History of the Prior Art
The game of table soccer, also known as fussball, has developed into a very popular pastime in recent years. Players of the game have likewise advanced in the skill necessary for competitive play. These developments have led to a myriad of improvements in the game table structure. One such improvement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,926,432 issued Dec. 16, 1975 to Robert L. Furr and Robert I. Hayes, Jr. As set forth therein, both the game table surface and the playing figures themselves have been designed for better ball control and player enjoyment. These aspects are critical to efficient ball control and player enthusiasm.
Fussball game tables typically include a rectangular, box-like playing table structure supported on a plurality of legs at about waist height of a player. A plurality of axially slidable and rotatable actuating rods are mounted to extend transversely of the playing area. The actuating rods mount a plurality of playing figures which are arranged above the playing surface of the table in a preselected formation. A ball is placed on the playing surface and propelled by sharply rotating the actuating rods so that a foot of a playing figure strikes the ball and propels it along the playing surface toward one of the two goals located in opposite end walls of the table structure.
In playing the game of table soccer, skilled players repeatedly manipulate the playing ball back and forth between adjacent ones of their playing figures to set up a clear path between the ball and their opponent's goal opening. Such manipulation includes passing the ball from one playing figure to another. A pass is effected through propelling the ball to one figure by striking it with the foot portion of a different figure. Another technique often used by players is that of manipulating a ball transversely with the rear foot portion of a figure and then suddenly circling the ball and shooting with the front of the foot portion. A ball passed from one figure to another is best caught with a receiving figure by first rotating the associated actuating rod to raise the foot portion to trap the ball between the foot portion and the playing surface of the table.
The front and rear surfaces of the foot portion of prior art playing figures greatly facilitated gripping a ball between the foot and the playing field surface. Likewise, in striking the ball, the relative positioning between the ball and playing figure determines the lift or spin imparted to the ball. This effect is due to the "varying" point of engagement of the ball resulting from its radial distance from the actuation rod. Such geometric considerations are integral in the ultimate functioning of fussball structures.
Problems associated with the manufacture and use of fussball playing figures include functional aspects such as ball control and effective shooting, as well as structural aspects related to the design of the playing figure, its mass distribution, structural strength and mounting features thereof.
Structurally, a fussball playing figure must withstand a wide range of forces which are imparted both rotationally and axially thereto. The force that some players use in the game of fussball is considerable and a fussball playing figure can be broken, and/or the playing rod bent, through inherent structural weakness if the playing figure is not properly designed.
The aforementioned problems include the interconnection between the playing figure and the actuating rod. In many instances, the playing figure is sized to be easily received upon the actuating rod and bolted thereto. The bolting configuration requires that an aperture be formed through the playing figure and through the rod through which a threaded member can be received. The stresses generated by the threaded member can induce fatigue failure to the rod, the weakness resulting therefrom contributing to failure of the rod during an intense play.
Likewise, the playing figure itself must be fabricated to withstand enormous rotational as well as axial forces. The sides of the playing figure are generally formed to receive a fiber washer, which washer serves to engage the side bumper of the fussball playing area, to absorb shock therefrom, when the playing figure is an end figure in the spaced series of figures typically secured to an actuating rod. If a suitable washer is not provided, the stress between the playing figure and the bumper can be considerable and may not be properly diffused.
Another structural aspect of the playing figure is the foot portion itself. A variety of playing surface configurations have been incorporated into the foot region but many of these relate primarily to the functional aspect of the playing figure such as ball control and effective "shooting". For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,046,378 addresses one aspect of ball control utilizing a pebbled striking surface on the playing figure foot.
The front surface of the playing figure set forth in this patent is pebbled over with its entire surface and lies in a plane angled rearwardly with respect to the longitudinal axis of the figure. The rear foot surface is also pebbled over most of its entire surface and lies in a plane angled forwardly with respect to the longitudinal axis of the figure except for an unpebbled control corner extending horizontally along the lower rear edge of the foot in a plane parallel to both the vertical and horizontal axis of the figure. The control corner increases the firmness with which a playing ball may be trapped between the playing foot and the playing surface.
The fabrication of the foot portion with such intricate features requires close fabrication control and tolerances. The sheer size of the playing foot and the thickness thereof requires that care be given to the manner in which material is molded into the playing figure itself. The necessary thickness of the foot can result in surface irregularities due to the thermal coefficients of expansion of the material and/or unplanned voids formed therein during the fabrication process.
With bubbles or other undesirable cavities formed underneath the playing foot surface, or with uncontrolled expansion or contraction of the material during molding and/or cooling, surface irregularities can occur which reduce the flatness of the surface configuration. When there is not appropriate flatness, the effectiveness of the surface for shooting the playing ball is jeopardized. Moreover, the surface must be rigidly associated with the upper body portion of the playing figure and concomitantly with the actuating rod.
The same constructional aspects are present in the fabrication of the playing figure with regard to the depending portion connecting to the foot. Axial tolerances must be maintained without serious deformation during the cooling process. These and other structural and functional features must be considered in the proper fabrication and use of a fussball playing figure.
As mentioned above, a variety of playing surface configurations have heretofore been incorporated into the foot portions of conventional table soccer playing figures to enhance one or more of their ball handling capabilities such as shooting, trapping and passing. The result of this nonstandardization of foot configuration has been that skilled players using playing figures having a given foot configuration tend to develop a certain playing "style" which takes advantage of the special ball-handling capabilities of that particular foot configuration.
However, when these players switch to table soccer games whose playing figures have different foot portion configurations the players often find that the different foot configuration, while possibly having advantages of its own, does not permit them to carry out all of their previously learned ball-handling maneuvers as well or in the same manner as with the previous foot configuration. This often necessitates undesirable changes in the player's shot repertoire and overall playing style. It would thus be desirable to provide a foot portion configuration which could accommodate a wider variety of playing styles and ball-handling techniques.
It would be an advantage to overcome the problems of the prior art by providing a fussball playing figure having the requisite structural strength, balance and functional features for maximum reliability while affording the user the ultimate in versatility. The present invention overcomes the problems of the prior art by providing a fussball playing figure constructed with a number of features facilitating reliability and improved functional aspects.
For example, the playing figure is constructed with a central aperture formed through the upper body portion thereof adapted for receiving the actuating rod, the aperture being sized for a press fit interengagement with the actuating rod and having a relatively small aperture formed orthogonally therethrough adapted for receipt of a roll pin therein. In this manner, the actuating rod contains an aperture of a smaller diameter and adapted to receive the roll pin in a mounting configuration providing increased strength relative to conventional threaded fastener techniques.
The playing figure is also constructed with a foot region having a predefined aperture formed laterally therethrough of a size and configuration adapted for reducing the inherent problems of material mass and surface area deformation often resulting therefrom. The foot is also connected to the upper body region by a leg portion constructed in generally I-beam configuration affording increased strength and reduced mass for structural rigidity between the foot and the upper body.
The upper body is also fabricated with sidewall portions integrally formed therein and configured in the shape of the fiber washer conventionally affixed thereto. In this manner, a single structure affords the functional features necessary for direct mounting upon the actuating rod without the requirement that additional fiber washers be utilized or threaded fastener members that can result in degradation in the actuating rod itself.
The playing figure foot portion is additionally provided with a specially designed exterior surface configuration which easily accommodates a wide variety of different playing styles and ball-handling techniques which may have been learned and developed using playing figures with markedly different foot portion configurations.